Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Therapy   I first discovered the benefits of breathing oxygen under pressure when i took my open water diving course to gain my Certification as a PADI Scuba diver some 12 years ago in the Red Sea off of Egypt.. I found that after each dive session i felt clearer headed and stronger in every way possible with my MS symptoms feeling reduced and my senses sharper, then a couple of weeks after diving the old symptoms would return.   In Rotherham i found the, South Yorkshire Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre Bradbury House 25 St Mary's Drive Catcliffe Rotherham S605TN Tel: 01709 367784 E-mail: [email protected]   Here i was able to attend a weekly 1 hour Hyperbaric Chamber session to continue the benefits i discovered from diving.   Oxygen Therapy consists of breathing medical oxygen through a mask in a specially constructed, pressure controlled chamber. The chamber at the Centre is capable of seating six people at a time. Oxygen Therapy is reported by people with MS to help improve symptoms such as fatigue, bladder function, balance and co-ordination. Oxygen therapy is becoming more widely used in aiding the healing of wounds, neurological disorders, head and spinal core injuries, muscle and tissue damage and particularly sporting injuries.   Oxygen is essential to every tissue in the body. Tissue needs oxygen for healing. Recent research has shown that in the inflammation typical of MS the transport of oxygen is severely limited by tissue swelling. So despite the blood flow increasing many times there may be a severe lack of oxygen in the affected area just when oxygen is needed most, it cannot reach the tissue in sufficient quantity.   Breathing oxygen under pressure causes dilated and leaky blood vessels to constrict back to normal size and reduces the swelling, due to fluid gathering, which can lead to cells dying. Giving additional oxygen extends the body's ability to heal and can limit some of the damage which MS may causes. The aim of oxygen treatment in MS is thus to minimise the amount of damage being caused, promote rapid healing and limit scar formation which in turn can prevent nerve function being restored.   Submitted by Paul Griffiths.   Paragraph breaks added to aid readability - Admin (Stumbler)